Council responds to isolated flooding incidents
Published on 03 March 2026
Gannawarra Shire Council thanks residents for their patience as staff responded to numerous reports of isolated flooding following rain that inundated the municipality on 1-2 March.
Areas of the Gannawarra received between 80-125 millimetres of rain across a 24-hour period, with the rain limiting road access to certain urban roads, especially in Kerang.
“The rain that occurred on Sunday and Monday placed the greatest pressure on our urban stormwater network since the rain and storms that impacted the municipality on Christmas Day 2023 and early January 2024,” Council Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Rollinson said.
“This rainfall has impacted residents in various ways, whether it was through cutting road access to properties or inundation of properties.
“Our staff have spent the past two days working to clear water from impacted streets, with these efforts continuing from our response to an isolated storm that affected Cohuna and district on 26-27 February. In both instances, we thank residents for their understanding as these efforts have occurred.”
Various improvements to Kerang’s urban stormwater system reduced the number of areas inundated compared to previous storms in instances where the 24-hour rainfall total exceeded monthly or seasonal averages.
“Improvements to Kerang’s urban stormwater network have occurred in the past two years to alleviate the impacts of isolated flooding, and reduce the duration of inundation, with locations such as Croton Street, Franke Road, Leng Street, Mokana Street, Orwell Street, Steuart Court, and the southern end of Boundary St benefiting from these works,” Mr Rollinson said.
“Similar improvements currently occurring within Brolga Street, Kerang and future improvements to areas within the northern part of Kerang and Tate Drive will help to further reduce these impacts in future severe events.”
ABOVE: A disused vehicle number plate seized one of the stormwater pumps at the Wyndham Street, Kerang pump site.
Residents are encouraged to be mindful of helping to ensure items that can block storm water pumps, pit openings and underground pipes, do not enter the stormwater network.
“Our staff regularly check that pumps are working when major rainfall or isolated storms occur,” Mr Rollinson said.
“On this occasion, staff were surprised to find a disused vehicle number plate seizing one of the pumps at our Wyndham Street site, which reduced the network’s pumping capacity for three hours until 6.30am while the pump was removed and disassembled to clear the obstruction.
“Thankfully this type of incident is rare, however items that can obstruct these pumps have the capacity to block our stormwater networks, resulting in a larger area being inundated, and for a longer period.”
Council is continuing to monitor how rainfall south of the municipality will impact the Gannawarra’s waterways, with residents encouraged to stay up to date with emergency warnings and any road closures by relying on trusted sources. These sources included:
“Motorists are reminded not to drive through floodwater, including standing rainfall runoff. Vehicles can lose traction in as little as 15 centimetres of water, whilst the wake from vehicles driving through flash flooding in towns can inundate businesses and houses,” Mr Rollinson said.
TOP: Marne Street, Kerang was one of many roads inundated after Kerang received 100 millimetres of rain in a 24-hour period.